IMBIBE: Mixing It Up This Summer

I’ve often heard from industry experts and boozy laymen alike that summer = beer drinking. This is the summer to throw off our aluminum chains and bottle caps and free ourselves to mix fresh, new, invigorating beverages…!

Now, this is not meant to slam beer, because, BEER, but– let’s do something creative with all of our warm weather adventuring.

I mentioned needing summer drink inspiration to The Cocktail Guru® himself, Jonathan Pogash, and before I knew it he was in action, sending over amazing recipes. In his words, these are great summertime cocktails. In my words, you had me at Gelatin Shot. That’s right, Jell-O shot, read on.

What: The Shag

Got Get:

2 oz. Van Gogh Gin

1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur

1 1/2 oz. cucumber-pineapple shrub**

Hickory smoke

Make:

Shake the first three ingredients very well with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a thin floating cucumber slice and hickory smoke throughout the room

**To make the cucumber-pineapple shrub (to yield approx. 1 cup):

1. In a large mason jar, add 2 cups chopped pineapple and cucumber mixture, then add 1 cup sugar over the top, and seal jar
2. Refrigerate for 24 hours
3. Remove from fridge, and mash cucumber and pineapple just a bit to release more juice, then strain out solids
4. Add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and shake well
5. Funnel into a bottle and store in fridge

What: Watermelon-Ginger Fruit Gelatin (aka JELL-O) shots

Go Get:

1/2 cup organic lemonade

1 cup fresh watermelon juice

1 cup ginger liqueur

1/2 cup Lillet rose

2 tbsp Knox gelatin

6 oz. boiling water

4 oz. cold water

(makes 24 servings)

Make:

1. Add 4 oz. cold water to 2 tbsp gelatin, and stir to combine
2. Then add the 6 oz. boiling water and stir to combine
3. Add this mixture to a batched out cocktail version of your drink (ingredients 1-4) and stir again
4. Pour into hollowed out watermelon, and refrigerate overnight
5. When ready to serve, sprinkle hibiscus sea salt over the top, and serve with a spoon.

What: Margarita Rosa

Go Get:

1 1/2 oz. Roca Patron Reposado

1/2 oz. Patron Citronage

3/4 oz. Perfect Puree pink guava

1 tsp. rose-water agave nectar*

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Make:

Shake ingredients very well with ice and strain into a coupe glass rimmed w/ cinnamon/sugar/salt blend. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Yes, while beer will always have that soft spot in our bellies and hearts this season, Pogash notes we should definitely see the cocktail trend “is here to stay in New England,” with larger cities embracing the “mixology” movement over the last decade, and now even New England suburbs are taking their drink game at bars and restaurants more seriously. Also according to Pogash, it’s about time.

I couldn’t agree more. Now where is my Gelatin Shot…?

Jonathan Pogash, “The Cocktail Guru®,” has been seen mixing up his signature cocktails on NBC, ABC, FOX, among others. As the resident mixologist for NBC’s “Weekend Today in New York,” Jonathan is able to “spread the good word…one cocktail at a time.”